


Get Down Tonight

by nicefinalbeam (sparkleboom)



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, Catchy tunes, Disco, M/M, Romance, Sex, dance competition, funky dudes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-09
Updated: 2017-01-09
Packaged: 2018-09-16 00:43:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9266198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sparkleboom/pseuds/nicefinalbeam
Summary: Aiba Masaki has three weeks to turn his new dance partner, Sakurai Sho, into a disco champion.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [astrangerenters](https://archiveofourown.org/users/astrangerenters/gifts).



> “Research” alone for this fic made the entire experience a blast. Thank you so much to the people who supported me in getting this done, you know who you are. Written for the [aibaexchange](http://aibaexchange.livejournal.com) at livejournal.

"I brought chocolate cake," Aiba announced with a grin, holding up the paper carrier for Ohno to see.

They were in the exact opposite of celebratory circumstances, but Aiba didn't want to wallow in self-pity and defeat. He cared about Ohno and his health more than a dance competition, even if he had been looking forward to it for months now. With Takki going pro and Tsubasa entering early retirement, it was supposed to be their turn. The Captain and Disco Star on top!

But if they couldn't have sweet victory, they could have sweets.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Aiba asked as he set the cake on the coffee table, plopping down beside his friend on the sofa. It was odd to see Ohno with his leg up, rather than curled beneath him on the cushions as usual.

"I don't deserve cake," Ohno answered as he bowed his head, "I'm the worst."

It wasn't funny, not really, but Aiba still snorted at the sight of Ohno looking so deeply apologetic. If their positions were reversed, Aiba would likely be begging for forgiveness himself. He might have done the same thing to his ankle walking down some stairs. At least Ohno had a story to tell at parties - betrayed by tequila and stormy seas.

"I'll find you someone to dance with," Ohno promised, hugging Aiba's arm to his chest, "You still have to go."

Aiba shook his head in disagreement. There were only three weeks left until the competition. Even if he could find a dancer on Ohno's level, something that already felt impossible, there would also have to be an instant chemistry between them. It would have to be as if they'd been dancing together all along, and Aiba highly doubted he'd be able to fake that feeling with some stranger. He and Ohno had built up a trust over time that you just didn't get from a quickly choreographed routine.

Well, that and Aiba could admit he had some insecurity he didn't like to face within himself. That echoing question of _what if I'm not any good without Ohno dazzling everyone beside me?_ He never brought it up with Ohno, because there was no point in making him feel guilty about being so talented. Aiba also wasn't exactly thrilled to admit his confidence was lacking, so he kept his small doubts to himself.

"I thought we were in this together! So if we win, we win together, and if we lose, we lose together," Aiba reminded.

He freed his arm from Ohno's grasp and pat his friend's knee before standing up again. It was better to eat cake, and maybe have a little something to wash it down with too.

"What about some beer? Beer will lift our spirits!" he suggested, ready to head for the fridge.

"No. Aiba-chan, I'm hurt, so you have to listen to me," Ohno demanded, slapping his hand against the arm of the sofa. "I love Disco Star. I'm Disco Star's biggest fan, and if he doesn't dance at that competition, my spirits will never be lifted again. I'll become a zombie. I'll be a zombie fisherman for the rest of my life."

"A zombie??"

"A zombie. And I'll only catch zombie fish," Ohno concluded sadly.

Ohno knew exactly what he was doing. Aiba had already confided in him once at practice that his newest big fear was his friends turning into zombies, as highly improbable as that may be. As Nino always said, 'Improbable is not impossible. Not when viruses advance at a faster rate than even modern science. Are you ready for the zombie epidemic, Aiba-chan?'

Okay, so he'd said it once. Once was enough.

"Maybe. _Maybe_. I will go. If there's somebody to dance with me," Aiba gave in. It was easier to reluctantly agree than to watch Ohno pout any longer.

If he was honest, the idea that there may still be some hope for him to dance made him smile too. There was something about the thrill of the music, the sound of people cheering for him, that rare moment in the spotlight - it was addicting.

"Good," Ohno said cheerfully. He scratched the side of his nose, then pointed toward the kitchen. "I kinda do want a beer though."

Aiba laughed and responded with a salute. With a few beers behind them, they'd likely forget all about this. He was looking forward to joking around about how to incorporate crutches as a prop, instead of worrying about some new partner.

They'd win for sure! Next time. The dream would simply just have to wait.

 

 

 

**LET'S GROOVE**

 

Aiba loved his job. While everyone else was simply passing through the department until they could become project managers, Aiba truly liked designing marketing emails. Sometimes he'd add an extra exclamation point if he thought no one would notice and call it 'unprofessional', and sometimes he had full control over the font.

He also got to work with his friend Nino, who claimed to have no desire to rise above the ranks until it became necessary to sustain his gaming habit. They often abused the company’s inter-office chat to send rude messages to each other, despite their cubicles being side by side.

"Why couldn't he have waited a few weeks to nearly kill himself? It's not going to be as fun to win if I can't shove your faces in it," Nino complained across the divider as they prepared to head to lunch.

It would sound harsh to the outside ear, but Aiba knew how much Nino had been looking forward to beating Ohno. He was competitive when it came to disco. In fact, Aiba wouldn't be dancing now if Nino hadn't started taking lessons first. His grumpy demeanor was only because he was as disappointed as Aiba was about this turn of events.

They liked to joke that disco was the unofficial company sport, since Nino's partner had been the one to get the rest of them pulled into it. It just wasn't the same if they couldn't all participate.

"Go ahead and win this time, and then next year we'll see if you have what it takes to stay on top," Aiba suggested with a shrug.

He logged out of his computer profile, then began to search his desk for his wallet. Going out to lunch with Nino meant treating, even if he was only a senpai by a couple of months. What had he done with that wallet, anyway? He'd come in this morning and tossed it right behind his desk calendar, or was that yesterday?

Hearing what he thought was an impatient cough behind him, Aiba rolled his eyes.

"Yeah yeah, I'm coming already."

He swiveled around in his chair quickly, but leapt up when he realized it wasn't Nino waiting for him.

"Aiba-san? I was hoping I could have a word with you at lunch. If you don't already have plans, of course," Sakurai Sho requested with a soft smile.

Sakurai Sho.

There were three things that immediately came to mind when Aiba thought about Sakurai Sho, star employee of the Public Relations department. One, that he was somehow always both working late _and_ present at after-work drinking sessions as if that were humanly possible. Two, that he had weird taste in casual clothing, but picked out the best accessories. Three, that Aiba had gotten drunk and made out with him at the company retreat when they'd been the last ones at the campfire and declared a mutual love for barbecue.

The last point was fairly recent, but had so far not been a problem. Aiba thought a man who liked a good barbecue and had Sho's face was pretty hot. No big deal.

Before he answered Sho's request, Aiba's eyes drifted to Nino, who was standing behind Sho and enthusiastically giving two thumbs up.

"I don't have plans," he lied.

"Great! I thought we could go across the street and grab some curry. Are you free now?" Sho asked.

"Yep!" Aiba confirmed, grabbing his coat from the back of his chair and slipping into it easily. "Let's go!"

His mind was racing with every possible reason Sho might ask him to lunch as they walked together to the elevators. It didn't have to be about what had happened between them at the retreat. It could be a number of office-related scenarios! Maybe he was needed for one of Sho's new advertising projects. Maybe Sho simply wanted advice on whether it was best to send a mass email on a Tuesday or a Wednesday. Aiba loved chatting about that sort of thing (and it was definitely Wednesday, as he'd figured out over time).

But as the lunch hour was nearing a close and the only thing they'd discussed was how great the curry was and how often they went to karaoke, Aiba was starting to doubt Sho had work questions at all.

"The reason I asked you to lunch is because of Satoshi-kun, actually. We've been friends a long time and when I heard about his ankle, I asked him if there was anything I could do for him," Sho finally explained.

He didn't need to finish for Aiba to understand where this was going. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach as he grew more nervous about what was happening here. There was _no way_ this could be about the competition. He would rather Sho give him a long speech about being full of kissing regret!

"Oh?"

Aiba took an unnecessarily long gulp of his tea, hoping that it would somehow hide the panic he was feeling inside.

"I don't have a lot of experience with disco, I admit, but I took some dance lessons when I was younger? I think I could at least get the basic idea of the moves," Sho continued with a bright grin, "So what do you think?"

When Aiba did take a second to think about it, it didn't seem like a terrible idea. Sho was a dedicated guy who worked hard at everything, so disco would probably be no different. But hard work was only the start of what would be required. Aiba just wasn't sure what Sho was offering would be enough for achieving his dream. Pretending like it was enough might only make the inevitable defeat hurt more.

Aiba wiped some tea from his chin and nodded his head politely. He'd just have to let Sho down easy.

"I'm glad you want to help, Sakurai-san! But I also don't know if we have time. We'd have to meet every single day after work, for hours probably. Otherwise we won't even be close to ready," Aiba answered.

And this was assuming that Sho could actually dance, which Aiba had yet to see.

He'd thought he'd kept that last part to himself, but then Sho smirked at him and leaned a little closer to say, "Do you want me to audition?"

"No! No, no need to audition."

Aiba hardly had candidates lining up to partner him. He could feel his cheeks warming up at the thought that Sho even wanted to do this. Not just dance disco at all, but dance a disco routine as his partner. Even if Sho had known Ohno a long time, it seemed a lot to take on just as a friendly gesture.

"So you'll give it a try with me?" Sho asked again, pressing his hands together as if begging for the opportunity.

How was Aiba supposed to turn him down? He'd never been in a position with someone so eager to do him a favor. He couldn't look Sho in the eye, still a little embarrassed, but he nodded in agreement. Okay. It couldn't hurt to just see where things went.

"We can start tomorrow."

"I'll free up my schedule," Sho promised.

 

 

 

**THE HUSTLE**

 

It turned out that having a night to sleep on things was the right call. When Aiba woke up the next morning, he found himself actually looking forward to his meeting with Sho. The only thing holding him back from having a good time was his own attitude. Rather than be afraid that everything would be a disaster, Aiba would do his best to make sure it wasn't!

It was with that mentality that he'd managed to secure them a rehearsal spot. Aiba and Ohno danced at studio not far from the office, but that was because they only spent an hour rehearsing every few days and the studio sponsored the dance competition. Creating a brand new routine that suited his change of partner was going to require far more time than the studio could provide him.

"The passes are temporary, the space is temporary, but my job I want to be more than temporary... so please don't break anything," his best friend requested as he handed Aiba a lanyard with a small card and a key.

"We'll be super good! You won't even know we were here," Aiba replied.

"And if anyone asks you what you're up to?" Kazama prompted.

"I tell them that Kazamapon throws secret parties here at night," Aiba responded as if it was what they'd agreed upon. He laughed when his friend tried to snatch the lanyard back from him. It was too late! He'd given Aiba a room to rehearse for three weeks, and as such, Aiba would forget about the time that Kazama had puked on his favorite sweater.

Kazama insisted that Aiba had been the one to puke that night, but Aiba didn't remember it that way, so this was only fair.

"Good luck with everything," Kazama wished him.

Aiba kissed the top of his head, "You better be there when I win!"

It was easy enough to set the room up for dancing, as it was already used as a meeting room and dress rehearsal space for various skits and variety show segments. At least one wall had a set of mirrors, perfect for seeing how they moved together. If anyone asked, what he was really supposed to tell them is that he and Sho were practicing for a television special. Weirder things made it to broadcast every day, and weirder things had been cut before too. No one would suspect that a producer was pulling strings for two disco dancers.

All he had needed was a stereo, which he moved from his apartment with Kazama's help, and their new practice space was complete.

All the arranging had seriously cut into practice time tonight, but that was okay. They'd start with something so basic, Sho would probably need less than an hour to fully master it!

"The hustle?" Sho struggled to repeat.

"Yeah! Everyone does it at some point. It's a good way to move across the floor between bigger steps," Aiba informed him.

He demonstrated the first part slowly, pointing to his right leg. Always start on the right leg! From there, step back - two - three - four and clap your hands. Step forward on your left foot - two - three - four and clap again.

Sho followed along as Aiba had expected, clapping his hands loudly each time he hit his mark. If the hustle ended right there, Aiba would say they were on a smooth track to victory. But, naturally, it was more involved than that.

"Okay, so, next you turn to the right and clap. Then to the left and clap, and then we're going to do the disco fever thing. Hang on, uh... let me show you."

Somehow Aiba hadn't fully processed the idea that taking on a new partner meant becoming a teacher too. Ohno had been dancing long before Aiba ever tried, and he'd been the one to both lead and choreograph all of their dances. It was one thing to dance the moves himself, it was another to try and break them down for someone else to understand.

"It's called a punching bag. So like you're punching something right in front of your face," Aiba described the next move, laughing as Sho looked more like he was slapping someone on the cheek.

"You wanna hustle? I'll hustle you right here, right now," Sho acted out as he practiced his punching bag stance.

Aiba laughed and shook his head, facing Sho and demonstrating the move again. He wasn't sure how long they went back and forth trying to perfect the punching bag, but by the time they were done, Aiba was beginning to lose some of the optimism he'd come into the lesson with earlier.

It wasn't Sho's fault, really. When Aiba turned on the music and they pieced the entire hustle together, complete with funky chicken, they didn't look half-bad! But the clock on his iPhone painted a difficult picture. One complete set of dance moves had sucked up nearly all of their rehearsal time.

And then?

Then there was the hip thrust.

"Sakurai-san... you look like a signpost being rattled by some wind."

Aiba hadn't meant for it to sound so harsh, but it was the best comparison that had come to mind. Aiba thought that everyone essentially knew how to hip thrust, even if they'd never tried to disco. Unfortunately, Sho looked as if he wasn't aware that he had hips at all.

"Sorry," Sho apologized with a sheepish laugh, "I'm not very flexible."

Aiba wasn't sure that inflexibility was the real problem here. But, well, it was only their first time dancing. Sho was probably still nervous, much like Aiba had been when he'd first heard Sho wanted to partner with him. Once they became more comfortable with one another, he'd loosen up! Yeah!

"Do what I do," Aiba instructed as he placed his hands on his hips, "Bump, bump, bump to the front. Bump, bump, bump to the front."

He popped his hip to the left, then to the right, then followed it up with a hip thrust. If Sho could feel what his body did as he moved his hips to the side, he might get a better idea of how to snap his hips forward.

At least Aiba had hoped, but to his dismay, Sho continued to struggle. He knew his concern was written all over his face, especially when Sho looked back at him as if he'd let Aiba down. Aiba hated feeling as if he was crushing Sho's self-esteem. It wouldn't be fair to let one short lesson decide how Sho was as a partner, would it? Aiba hadn't unlocked Sho's strengths yet. If everything else went well, it didn't matter that thrusting might need extra work.

"Let's meet again tomorrow. But earlier! We'll get more time together," Aiba suggested as they gathered up their belongings.

"Really?" Sho asked in surprise.

"Yeah!"

"I thought for sure you'd fire me. Fire me? Maybe that's not the right term," Sho said with a laugh. Aiba noticed that he was far more graceful in his movements when he was relaxed. The casual way he draped his coat over his shoulder, his hand in the pocket of his sweats. Sho looked effortlessly cool to him.

There was a disco dancer in there somewhere.

It was now Aiba's mission to find him.

 

 

 

**DON'T STOP 'TIL YOU GET ENOUGH**

 

"Masaki, YEAH!" Sho greeted him as they passed one another at work the next day, holding up his hand for the newly customary high-five.

"Sho-chan, YAY!" Aiba returned the greeting cheerfully.

It earned them a few stares from around the office, but as far as anyone knew, it was a thing they did because they were positive and supportive work colleagues. Which was true in its own way, but was also part of a bigger plan that Aiba had come up with to get them on more comfortable terms.

First names, casual touching, a sense of familiarity would all go a long way in making them stronger dance partners. If it didn't pan out that way, at least Aiba could say he had an instant boost of popularity at the workplace.

"So, it went well I take it?" Nino asked when Aiba neared his desk.

That was one way of putting it! It hadn't gone badly, was what Aiba had decided. He nodded his head, but then began to worry his lip. There were so many things still on his mind.

"But he's so stiff," Aiba whispered. He felt bad enough talking about Sho right here in the open. If the man were to come walking back this way as Aiba was complaining? That would be the end of their dance partnership.

"Stiff isn't always a bad thing," Nino responded with a chuckle.

Aiba glanced both ways to make sure the coast was clear before continuing to speak quietly.

"Every time I push, he wobbles. When I tell him to shake his hips, his whole lower half moves."

"I don't think Oh-chan would give you someone that helpless," Nino countered, perfectly happy to speak at his normal volume, "He must have something to offer. You know, aside from looking good in the costume."

That was possibly true. If they were really going to go to the competition together, Aiba would need to get Sho an outfit and soon. If it were Sho out there with him, they wouldn't even need anything flashy. Sho stood out enough on his own by being the most handsome man Aiba knew. Sho in a fitted pair of pants that flared at the ends? A slightly unbuttoned shirt, maybe in black... or what about white?

Aiba zoned out, watching Nino twirl a paper clip between his fingers while he thought about all the possibilities. Why not be more bold? Red. As red as Sho's lips had been the other day when he'd watched him eat curry and...

"Aiba-shi, are you seriously telling me you haven't plastered that man in sequins yet? Body glitter? At least you've made up an excuse for the shirt to come off," Nino interrupted his daydreaming.

Of course not! He shook his head and answered, "It's been one day, Nino, seriously."

Sequins, though. Aiba really did need to find out how Sho felt about sequins.

 

 

 

**THAT'S THE WAY (I LIKE IT)**

 

_UP ONE DOWN TWO AND THREE AND FOUR_  
UP ONE DOWN TWO AND THREE AND FOUR  
UP ONE DOWN TWO AND THREE AND FOUR

They would never have a perfect routine without the basic bounce, one of the most important elements of any disco number.

Sho could throw his arm up and drop it back down, but it was tight and robotic, like someone who had seen John Travolta dance and assumed if he pointed at the sky a few times he had disco down. Disco was about more than the dance moves, it was a _feeling_. It was opening yourself up and connecting on another level with your partner. If you were going to demand all eyes on you, you had to have something to show off.

"Uh huh, uh huh," Aiba tried to sing along with the music as he demonstrated a thrust. Each time the lyrics circled back to _that's the way_ , Aiba prepared himself for another quick snap of his hips.

As the lyrics continued to _I like it_ , Aiba watched Sho get ready to mimic his movements with the most concerned eyebrows he'd ever seen on another human's face.

"Uh huh, uh huh," Sho mumbled, rocking forward and backward, his movement centered entirely in his knees and thighs.

No matter how many times he explained to Sho that a hip thrust was all about the glutes, he couldn't seem to get the man to understand. It looked like Aiba was going to have to take things into his own hands. Literally.

He stepped up behind his new partner and placed his palm across Sho's butt, trying not to blush as he heard Sho's high-pitched squeal of surprise.

"You should feel it here," Aiba told him.

"I feel your hand," Sho responded with a nervous laugh.

Aiba knew you couldn't rush technique, but he'd hoped that things would have improved since the last lesson. He'd thought that maybe Sho's eagerness to learn would inspire him to hip thrust around his apartment until dawn. However, Sho looked as unsure about it now as he had the day before, and Aiba was still confused as to how he could be so rigid in the first place.

Sakurai Sho had the body of an athlete and the face of a dream. Even if he devoted more time to his career than his personal life, there had to be bodies in his bed occasionally. Aiba had nearly dragged him into his tent at that company retreat, and that was only after a kiss.

It would be too rude to ask his new partner, "So you have sex right? Let's imagine sex for a second..."

But it was tempting. Very, very tempting.

Aiba paused the music and grabbed some water bottles from the small bench beside the sound system. He tossed one to Sho, the two of them sipping quietly until Aiba couldn't keep his frustration inside any longer.

"I'm shy," he announced.

"What?" Sho responded, tilting his head slightly in confusion.

"I'm shy. But I realized you might not know that, because you don't see me much outside of here and at work. When I'm out in the world, meeting new people, I'm... I'm not like a hermit or anything, but I'm shy. I'm not always comfortable. Public speaking, parties, those things can be scary. I need a confidence boost. Usually."

"I see," Sho acknowledged with a small nod, "You wouldn't guess when you dance, or when you teach. Didn't you touch my ass two minutes ago?"

Aiba laughed and aimed his water bottle at Sho accusingly.

"I wouldn't have to if you'd figure out how to pop that thing yourself! But seriously, I had a point."

Aiba liked the way Sho looked when he tossed his head back in laughter, especially when it was because of something he said. Sho had a strong, inviting neck. But that wasn't what Aiba was trying to focus on right now.

"When I'm dancing, I'm not shy anymore. I'm not afraid I'm going to be laughed at or worried about saying the wrong thing. I'm not thinking about everybody else, I'm just thinking about me and my partner. Me, and the music, and how fun it is to dance. It's supposed to be fun," Aiba explained, closing most of the gap between them. He smiled as he placed his free hand on Sho's shoulder.

"I bet no teacher's ever said this to you before, but... stop taking things so seriously, Sho-chan! Loosen up."

He thought he saw something change in Sho's eyes then. It was a risk to tell someone who was doing this for Aiba's benefit to essentially stop caring so much, but Sho seemed to understand what he meant.

"Find a way to be passionate without being inside my own head," Sho summarized, returning Aiba's shoulder squeeze.

Exactly! Aiba pulled back from Sho's grip and rushed to turn the music back on. He had to use this precious moment to the best advantage. Use the fire he'd seen in Sho's gaze and turn it into the best hip thrust he could.

"UH HUH, UH HUH!" Aiba cheered, hip thrusting his way across the room.

 

 

 

**TURN THE BEAT AROUND**

 

It was lesson four when Aiba realized there was no reason he had to come up with _every_ part of the routine himself. Ohno was physically injured, but that didn't mean he had to be cut out of the entire dance process. Ohno was still as much his partner as Sho was now, and since they already knew one another, it was even better!

Ohno agreed to drop in once a week. Aiba had hoped for more than that, considering they only had two more weeks after this one, but Ohno was apparently in the middle of an art project now.

He moved on fast. But so had Aiba, actually.

"Why didn't you tell Aiba-chan that you did ballroom dancing? There's so much that crosses over there, you know!" Ohno complained, shaking his head at Sho.

"Well, I did mention I'd danced before, I just didn't know that the type was that important," Sho defended himself. Aiba laughed when Sho added in a mumbled, "I mostly took piano lessons anyway."

"Less talking, more dancing!" Aiba requested as they entered into another ballroom hold.

Being with Sho this way, it was as if a huge weight had been lifted. The heavy burden of having to teach Sho all the basics was gone. Sure, the actual routine was going to need a lot of care and practice, but Sho could lead Aiba across the room as well as Ohno ever had. He just didn't quite know how to make it funky.

It was getting fun now. When Sho dipped him, Aiba actually grew a little flustered. A spin out and back into Sho's arms was sharp and precise. Maybe they weren't close to a first prize, but Aiba was remembering why it was he loved to dance.

"I think you should grapevine in opposite directions, and when you come back to center, then you bump hips," Ohno suggested. He waved his crutch each time he wanted them to repeat what they'd done.

When it came time to end rehearsal, Aiba actually found himself wishing they could keep going. There was a magic about Ohno when he took charge. Seeing him think through the start of a routine, and the way he allowed Sho to slightly change a step if it felt more natural for him, it was inspiring.

And Sho! Sho had been like an entirely new person. As soon as he'd understood that he had skill with certain moves, that he could be the supportive partner that pushed Aiba along, he'd completely stepped up. It was... thrilling!

He didn't want to keep thinking about Sho's hands on his back, beneath his arms, against his hip as they'd moved across the floor tonight. But every time he looked at the man, he wanted to reach out again.

"You were amazing today," he spoke. He had to let Sho know. He probably didn't compliment his partner enough, or thank him enough for doing this when he really hadn't needed to give up so much of his time.

Sho shook his head, then placed a hand on Aiba's shoulder.

"It's all you."

"HEY!"

"And Satoshi-kun," Sho amended with a bubbly laugh.

 

 

 

**BOOGIE OOGIE OOGIE**

 

Although Sho had made some great improvements over the past few lessons, especially with Aiba's discovery that he could lead an impressive ballroom spin, he still seemed stressed out whenever Aiba let go of his hand.

Any choreography that required Sho to move on his own posed a problem. He'd remember the dance steps, but he'd look painfully awkward doing them. If Aiba needed his left arm to go up as his right leg kicked out, Sho reversed it somehow.

Aiba was patient about it, but Sho looked ready to scream. Aiba had been there before. There were times when Ohno gave him a move he couldn't seem to master, and seeing Ohno do it so fluidly had driven him into a self-pitying rage. Being that hard on yourself only made it more difficult to relax into a step. There was no choice now but to take a break.

"Sho-chan, stop. Let's stop. I think I see a vein popping out," Aiba tried to make light of it.

Sho didn't find it so amusing, tossing the towel at his neck to the ground with a frustrated grunt.

"Listen, it's only a wall. It would be weird if you didn't hit one with how long we've been practicing. Let's... let's freestyle!" Aiba offered with a cheerful fist pump.

When Aiba felt the pressure closing in on him, whether it was during practice or at work or in his life in general, he liked to take a brief moment to break the rules. Tiny acts of rebellion that made him feel like everything was still in his control. For example, secretly opening up another tab in his photo editing software and drawing a mustache on a picture of a kitten. Something silly, and not meant to be done at work, but so completely satisfying.

Freestyling was basically like that! They could make up their own steps. There were no rules to freestyle, except for maybe one. Feel the music.

"I don't know how," Sho stated, his head hanging as if in defeat.

"No one does! That's the beauty of it!"

Aiba dared to press a little closer to his partner, lightly tapping his fingers against the back of Sho's hand. When Sho turned his hand around to give Aiba his palm, Aiba laced their fingers together and began to swing their joined hands.

"C'mon, Sho-chan. Let's just dance. We'll put on a song, and let it play the whole way through, and whatever you want to do is what you do," Aiba encouraged him.

It took a few more nudges to get Sho to agree, but Aiba knew it was worth it. As the music started playing, Sho seemed lost, simply shifting his weight from foot to foot. Aiba stood directly in front of him to lead by example.

"I call this the snake charmer," Aiba announced, moving his arms in a wave as he lowered himself near the ground and back up again.

When he saw Sho crack a smile, he immediately started in on the funky chicken. Sho began to laugh, softly at first, but then loud and full as ever as Aiba dropped down to do the worm - or at least tried to, but it wasn't really in his disco arsenal and honestly it kind of hurt his groin.

"Masaki, are you okay?" Sho asked through his laughter. When he held out his hand, Aiba latched on and pulled himself up.

"Not really! I feel like I'm doing everything here," he accused, giving Sho a gentle prod in the stomach.

Sho cleared his throat and backed up slightly, appearing as if he wanted to give himself some room. Aiba could see the wheels turning in his mind, but his eyes were shining again.

"This," he announced, "is the Hokkaido mountain bop."

Aiba clapped and cheered as Sho began to mimic skiing downhill, bending his knees and working his hands at either side as if he were holding onto poles. Ski poles! Ski poles, of course. Aiba didn't need the image of Sho working any other kind of pole in his brain.

Well, he didn't mind it. He might save it for later.

"Ramen boogie!" Aiba shouted. He pretended to slurp some noodles as he did a body roll. Sho really liked that one, joining him in it for another few bars of the song.

As they continued their weird dance off together, Aiba had to wonder if it wouldn't be worth it to fill the competition choreography with more snake charmers and mountain bops.

It felt worth it. Seeing Sho this happy.

When Sho winked at him and slurped more noodles, Aiba shook his head and laughed. He placed a hand over his chest and declared, "I'm full."


	2. Chapter 2

 

**Y.M.C.A.**

 

Aiba had made around fifteen photocopies of various objects on his desk before Jun had cruelly reminded him that every piece of paper was paid for with company money.

Nino sighed and spun around a few times in his office chair.

"Time to face facts. He's not coming."

"Nino's right," Jun said in agreement, "We thought this might happen."

Apparently Jun had been asking Sho out to drinks with the department every other night and had become suspicious when he'd been consistently rejected. Nino, able to keep a secret from everyone except his Gentle J, had blabbed about exactly what Sakurai Sho had been up to the past two weeks.

Aiba was fine with Jun knowing, honestly, but it had put a few things back into perspective. Sho had a life he'd put on hold for all this dance practice, and no matter how much Aiba loved dancing with him, loved him for doing all of this, it wasn't going to make them any better at dancing to completely shut out reality.

So he'd said okay to a few drinks with friends, giving up one night of rehearsal in the hopes that it would be like recharging some batteries. Unfortunately, this night in particular was shaping up to be a work-until-midnight scenario for poor Sho.

Aiba felt terrible for it, but he couldn't bring himself to go out and have fun while Sho was stuck at the office.

"You guys go on. I think I'll stay and check on how he's doing," Aiba decided aloud.

The look Jun and Nino shared after his statement made his neck and cheeks feel hot, but his mind was made up! They could always go out drinking after the competition. There'd be something to celebrate, right?

After saying his goodbyes to his friends, Aiba made his way to Sho's small office. He had to admit, the one thing that might have made him want to move up the corporate ladder was the bit of privacy he'd be afforded. Even if it was fun to toss things at Nino over their shared cubicle wall. He was impressed with Sho's name by the door. He worked hard! But of course Aiba knew that already.

He lifted his hand to knock at the same time the door swung open.

"Oh!"

"Oh! Masaki, whats up?" Sho asked, clearly surprised to see him.

"I thought you might be busy. Were you coming out to drinks? We might still catch them if we hurry," Aiba told him, gesturing vaguely behind himself. He doubted that Nino and Jun had gotten far, but even if they had, Aiba knew where they were headed.

"Ah, sorry. I don't think it's possible tonight. I only have forty minutes or so before I've got another call," Sho explained, bowing his head in apology. Aiba waved a hand to show it was really not a problem. Sho was about the last person who owed him anything at the moment. If he was busy, it couldn't be helped.

Standing in front of Sho now with silence growing between them, Aiba wondered why he’d thought it was better to stay. What help was he going to be able to give? Sho was an adult who could take care of himself. He'd thought that maybe he could go pick him up some dinner or something, but that wasn't really normal behavior even for friends. He didn't remember ever being brought a bento when working late from Nino or anything.

He laughed quietly at himself, then said, "I guess that's all? I'm sort of in your way."

"No!" Sho objected, "No, you aren't. I was just going to head down to the gym for a few minutes. I've been stuck sitting around all day, so... if you want? You could come?"

Aiba smiled and nodded his head. Maybe it was because he'd gotten used to hanging out with Sho every night, but he didn't want to say no to spending time with Sho now.

Neither of them were really dressed to lift weights or go for a run. Sho's plan had apparently been to walk a little on the treadmill, enough to feel like he was going somewhere without actually having to leave the building. Aiba joined him on the machine beside, walking and talking as if it was something they did all the time. He'd never heard the story about how Sho had met Ohno (a college party), or why Sho had gotten into Public Relations (he was a social creature who enjoyed communication with others). Sho had never heard about his parents' restaurant, or about how he'd discovered his passion for disco.

All in all, the time spent actually felt useful. It had given Aiba an opportunity to get to know Sho more one-on-one, with no dance moves to distract from the conversation. It had also introduced him to the company gym, which he was sure he'd heard about when he was hired, but had completely forgotten about until now.

"WHAT! There's a net down here!?"

Apparently Aiba had been completely missing out. If he'd known there was a basketball net on the fourth floor, he'd have been spending every lunch break down here!

"I thought I might want to play basketball as a kid," Aiba told Sho with a bright smile. It was a fond memory. But Sho's break was only meant to be a short one, so Aiba wasn't about to try and find where they kept the ball.

Good thing he had a decent imagination.

He pretended to dribble the ball, then stop and shoot. Nothing but net!!

"Why aren't you a basketball star, then? Seems to me like you can do anything when you want to," Sho stated with a chuckle. "Can you dunk?"

Hmmnn. Aiba honestly didn't know. He was sort of tall, but not Michael Jordan tall. Not even close. He held up a finger to ask for a moment, then backed up a little. If he got a running start, he might just be able to touch the rim. So he went for it, rushing forward at full speed and jumping up with all his power. His fingers were nearly there! But he came back down before anything connected. Damn.

He was about to try again when he suddenly felt arms wrap around his legs from behind.

"Sho-chan!?" he squeaked, his heart racing as he was suddenly lifted up from the floor. He stared at the basketball net in front of him in surprise.

"Dunk already!" Sho laughed and shifted his weight. Aiba pretended to do just that, but it wasn't basketball he was thinking about any longer.

Sho had lifted him off his feet like it was no problem at all. Sho had lifted him up just like that, no struggle.

Sho lifted him.

SHO LIFTED HIM!

"SHO-CHAN YOU IDIOT!!!"

It wasn't fair to lay the blame entirely at Sho's feet when Aiba had already seen small glimpses of his partner's strength, but how hadn't either of them thought to use it like this? It was exactly what their routine needed! Without Ohno to pick up, Aiba had assumed that lifts were out of the question, but this changed everything.

"DON'T CALL ME AN IDIOT, IDIOT!" Sho growled playfully. He twirled Aiba around once before setting him carefully back down.

"NO, YOU IDIOT!" Aiba repeated, laughing and slapping his hands against Sho's chest excitedly, "You perfect idiot! We're going to win!"

It was clear that Sho had absolutely no idea what he was talking about, but Aiba was about ready to cry. Sho had lifted him up with his stupidly beautiful arms and now there was a hope inside him that he hadn't dared let grow before. He was competing for fun, really, it was just to have fun. But maybe... maybe they could win. After all their hard work, there was a real chance!

"Do you think you could lift me over your head?"

"What??"

 

 

 

**KNOCK ON WOOD**

 

When Kazama had called to say that the set next to their usual practice room would be filming tonight, Aiba had been desperate to find a way for them to keep their rehearsal. He'd tried the dance studio, but the evening was booked up with classes. He'd considered the company gym, since it had given them their best inspiration, but ultimately knew he'd be too embarrassed to practice full out if anyone else from work happened to be watching.

As a last resort, he'd cleared out as much space in his living room as possible, set his laptop up to play their music, and invited Sho over. It was hardly ideal, but it would do in a pinch. The ceiling in his apartment was just high enough that he'd not smack his head against it when up on Sho's shoulders. But he might not want to raise his arms any higher than his chin.

"At least if I drop you, the floor's a little softer," Sho joked when he arrived.

There wasn't enough room to do his run up, but that was okay. The last few practices had shown that Sho could catch him in a leap. The problem was _how_ he caught Aiba, his hands in strange positions and his weight dangerously off center every time.

"If we can decide on how you'll hold me in the next twenty minutes, I'll let you choose the take-out," Aiba bribed him.

"And you're still sure we can't just copy Dirty Dancing?" Sho replied with a chuckle.

Sho had been having way too much fun with teasing him about being picked up, but to be fair, Aiba was enjoying it too. He had a few bumps and bruises, but they'd been a good excuse for getting Sho to dote on him at practice. Suddenly Aiba was too sore to retrieve his water bottle. Sometimes, Aiba was too much in pain to put his things back in his bag. And Sho took it all in stride, charming Aiba every step of the way.

Sho was hot, and Aiba wasn't able to avoid that anymore.

It had never been like this with Ohno. That wasn't to say there hadn't been brief moments of a little something, a tingling sensation if Ohno pressed against him just right. But those times were rare and fleeting, and Aiba had always been able to brush them off as a general excitement about dancing together.

As Sho got better and better about throwing his whole body into a dance move, Aiba became more and more aware that Sho's body was working beside him. Sometimes against him. Sometimes supporting him with a strength that Aiba hadn't realized Sakurai Sho possessed before they'd entered into this together.

He'd always found Sho attractive, but Aiba thought plenty of people were attractive. Being attractive, flirting sometimes, it didn't have to amount to anything. So why did Sho's touch have to make his blood run hot? Why did he shiver when he could hear Sho's breathing behind him? His heart ached longingly when Sho's laughter filled the space between them. Every time it happened he wanted to make Sho laugh again and again.

He felt guilty about how his eyes wandered, pretending as if the bead of sweat rolling down Sho's neck was somehow related to the steps in their routine.

_Focus_ , he told himself. "One more time," he said aloud.

Sho nodded at his command, planting his right leg firmly in preparation to hold them both steady. All Aiba had to do was use Sho's thigh as his stairway for now. When they had their practice space back, there would be no springboard. He'd take a leap of faith, let Sho turn him in midair.

"One, two... three," he counted. On three. On three he was supposed to jump up.

But as his voice hit three, his mind shut down, and his body took over for him. The only beat he could follow was the one pounding in his chest. It guided his hands to Sho's hair and his lips to Sho's lips, and when he felt that sharp tug of heat in his stomach, nothing else mattered.

As Sho's arms wrapped around him, Aiba melted against his partner. Warm hands smoothed down his back as Sho's mouth opened for him. There was no sense in trying to pull back from this now. He was so needy he was dizzy with it.

Aiba had no idea how long their tongues tangled together, too lost in the joy of Sho's perfect kisses to care. But he did notice when his lower half began to rock forward gently, aiming for more attention.

His bed was only a few steps away, and beside it everything he'd need to bury himself in this feeling. But Aiba couldn't stand to move away for even a moment. He was too turned on to make it to the bedroom.

It was lucky for him that Sho seemed to echo that sentiment.

"Touch me," he spoke softly when Aiba dared to stop and breathe. He repeated it, louder this time as Aiba's hand teased at the waistband of his sweats. "Please, Masaki. Touch me."

He slid his hand inside Sho's pants, then further until he'd dipped beneath Sho's boxers. He hadn't been planning on this, truly he hadn't, but now that it was happening he was ready to enjoy every second.

Aiba's fingers curled loosely around Sho's hardening length, his strokes measured as he let his lips explore higher up. He loved the feel of Sho's jawline, and the taste at the base of his neck. He remembered that bead of sweat from earlier and tried to find its resting place with his tongue.

"I want all of you," Aiba told him, his teeth gently biting at the collar of Sho's shirt. All of Sho, not all of Sho's clothes.

He moaned in approval as Sho lifted the garment up and over his head. Aiba didn't waste any time, pressing several kisses across Sho's chest. He only paused in his act of showering affection when Sho suddenly pushed forward into his grasp. Now _that_ was the kind of thrust he'd been waiting for all this time.

Aiba wanted to fuck him. Aiba wanted to be fucked by him. Aiba wanted Sho's lips around his cock and Sho's legs around his body. He wanted to bounce in Sho's lap, he wanted Sho's kisses everywhere they could reach. He wanted everything... eventually. Right now he could barely keep his knees from buckling where he stood.

"Don't wait for me," Aiba told him, lining himself up against Sho's thigh to relieve some pressure. "I want to feel you."

Aiba loved the sounds Sho made when his hand tightened around him, pumping Sho harder and faster. He left soft kisses at the corner of Sho's mouth between exchanges of words. Before long, Aiba had want he wanted, Sho shuddering as he spilled into Aiba's hand.

"Masaki, that was..." Sho tried to say something, but couldn't seem to find the words to complete his thought.

Aiba nodded in agreement. Whatever Sho had wanted to convey, Aiba was sure that he matched those feelings exactly. Except for maybe the bliss of orgasm. He wasn't quite there yet, as his body was quick to remind him.

He pressed a kiss to Sho's mouth and rolled his hips, eager to continue. Sho took the hint, his warm hand finding Aiba exactly where Aiba needed him.

All it took was the right pressure, a firm twist, and Aiba was shaking with pleasure.

"That _was_ ," he repeated Sho's words.

It was perfect.

 

 

 

**DON'T LEAVE ME THIS WAY**

 

Sho looked irresistible with bed hair. It was a true wonder. Aiba had now seen him sweaty, super sweaty, freshly showered, and now this - dressed up for work, but with his hair all out of place. Sho thought it was inappropriate.

Aiba sort of agreed, but that's why he liked it so much.

"I'm sorry! My hair's cut the way I want it, I don't put any product in it. I didn't even think to have some around," he apologized, trying not to laugh at the way Sho continued to pout.

Aiba wanted to point out that Sho could have gotten up early enough to go back to his own place instead of sleeping late and borrowing Aiba's things. However, they both knew that hadn't been an option. Aiba had wanted him to stay in bed as much as Sho had wanted to stay there. Pants a little too long and shirt a little too tight were a small price to pay for company at breakfast.

The hair though. So great.

"Masaki? I was thinking..." Sho spoke up after a few sips of coffee, "I should tell you that as much as I really care about Satoshi-kun, I didn't really do this for him."

Aiba briefly wondered if Sho meant what had happened the night before. It would have been strange to find out that Sho had considered any of that an additional favor for Ohno! But then he realized that Sho meant the dancing. He acknowledged he was listening with a nod of his head.

"Ever since that company retreat, whenever I'd see you at the office I kept imagining us back there," Sho continued, "And every time I imagined us back there I imagined doing things differently. Not the kiss! The kiss was amazing. But after. After it was over I let you walk away. It felt like it was the end."

It hadn’t been truly over. It had only been the end to the extent that they hadn't kept kissing. Aiba could see that now. Whatever feelings he'd had then, they were still very present. Aiba hadn't recognized how much so until they'd grown closer, but now it was undeniable.

Which was why he felt so guilty as he interrupted Sho's speech.

"Don't confess to me, Sho. I'm begging you. Please wait."

Aiba knew he sounded harsh, stopping him now. It wasn't that he didn't want to hear it. He wanted to hear it so badly. That was the problem.

He could have kicked himself for how his tongue became stuck. Every second that ticked by, more of the hurt he was causing appeared in Sho's expression.

"I'm... I'm sorry, I thought after last night that maybe we wanted the same thing," Sho apologized and quickly stood up from his chair.

Aiba followed suit, not wanting to let Sho get away from him if it was about to come to that.

"It's not that I don't want anything, it's just that the timing is really... this competition means a lot to me," Aiba tried to convey his mixed-up feelings.

"And I don't?" Sho questioned.

Aiba hated the way Sho looked at him, like he was being rejected. Why did it have to be a choice? It wasn't that disco meant something and Sho meant nothing, it's that disco meant something and they wouldn't even be this close now if it weren't for Aiba wanting to achieve that dream.

He shook his head and reached a hand out, gently grabbing Sho's wrist. He needed to make Sho understand he needed more time, that was all. Time was something they didn't really have right now. They were _so_ close.

"I want to be with you, Sho-chan. I do! But you're already distracting enough," Aiba expressed, tightening his grip when he could see Sho processing his words before he was truly finished.

"I think about you constantly! At work, at practice, when I get home from practice, right before I fall asleep. I'm supposed to be concentrating on finishing our routine and all I want to do is wrap myself around you. I can't take it if you confess to me now. You'll become everything I care about, and then how will we win?"

It sounded selfish. It sounded ridiculous! Aiba knew there was a real risk that Sho could throw away what they'd been working for if he wanted. It wouldn't be a surprise if he decided that Aiba was being unfair to his feelings. Why bother continuing to help someone who had let you down? Aiba could lose more than the competition after this. He didn't want to lose a chance at romance!

But.

"Masaki?" Sho said quietly. Aiba began to panic as he felt Sho pull out of his hold.

"Yeah?"

"I don't like you. Not even a little bit. I don't want to date you. You're kind of gross," Sho told him, shrugging his shoulders. Aiba stared at him in awe, confused about how he might have read the room so incorrectly. But Sho wasn't finished.

"After we win that competition? After that, I might just fall in love with you."

Aiba had thought Sho's dedication to their dance lessons might have been the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him. Clearly, he was wrong. He'd never had someone be so generous. The gift of understanding was the best he'd ever been given.

Aiba blinked back a few tears and pulled Sho in for a hug, sighing happily as it was readily returned.

Okay.

Show time. Then? Sho time.

 

 

 

**LAST DANCE**

 

The crowd went crazy as couple number 8 took their position on the dance floor. Aiba could barely hear himself think as the cheering and chanting grew louder.

_MISTER J! MISTER J! MISTER J!_

"Who's Mr. J?" Sho asked him, peeking around Aiba's shoulder to the staging area.

"It's not Mr. J, it's our biggest competition. Mr. Hollywood and MJ," Aiba explained with a wide grin.

They may have been the biggest competition, but they were also his closest friends. Jun in his deep purple suit, looking every bit like disco royalty. Nino, glittering in gold beside him, working the audience with his winks and cheeky salutes.

Aiba had always loved to watch them move.

"Woah. Is that really Matsumoto-kun?" Sho asked with a chuckle. "He looks like a celebrity out there."

He did! He also had great taste in music. Aiba hadn't even thought he could use something modern like Daft Punk! It was a genius move. The crowd was already clapping along to their routine. Aiba thought he even saw one girl crying when Jun pointed in her direction.

Every so often Aiba looked away from the dancing to admire Sho's expressions. He had done his best to describe what they'd be walking into tonight, but it was almost impossible to do it justice. The moving lights on the dance floor, the crowd surrounding the stage at every side, the judges table in the distance where it was too dark to see their reactions. There was an electricity in the room that you could only believe when you felt it for yourself. He liked the true excitement he saw in Sho's eyes as he followed along with the couple's moves.

When he turned his attention back to Nino and Jun, he gasped at the trick they'd come up with. Nino did a series of backflips across the floor until he reached Jun at the other side. Jun quickly picked him up and spun him around to cap it off.

"Disco has backflips? Shit," Sho mumbled.

Aiba laughed and pat his shoulder consolingly.

When their number had reached its thrilling conclusion, Aiba clapped just as hard as anyone else. He was Mr. Hollywood and MJ's biggest fan. But he didn't have time to try and find and congratulate them on a stellar performance. He and Sho were on standby now.

"You sure this looks okay?" Sho asked for the fifth time. Aiba had very much approved of Sho's bold red costume. Together they looked like a Christmas decoration, which at any other point in time might be odd, but on a disco floor only added to their appeal.

"I'm still not sure why you had to name yourself _Funky Cherry_ , but the rest of it is fine," Aiba answered him with a smirk.

One of the best parts of participating was seeing the creativity of everyone else as they waited their turn. Aiba would have never come up with a cowboy theme, but couple number 9 made it look good. He admired the way they used an invisible lasso to pull each other around the floor.

"You look incredible," Sho told him, giving him a gentle nudge with his hip, "I forgot to tell you."

"Save the flattery! Show me what you like about me out there," Aiba teased, nodding toward the dance floor. Any minute now. Any minute they'd be out there performing. This was it.

Aiba's heart began to pound as the couple ahead of them finished and the MC began to introduce them.

"AND NOWWWWWWW... COUPLE NUMBER 10 THIS EVENING, GIVE IT UP... FOR FUNKY CHERRY, AND DISCO STAAAAAR!"

It was hard not to smile when you walked out to noisy applause. He squeezed Sho's hand and grinned even more widely as he felt Sho squeeze back.

Aiba had always liked the fact that it was a rule to circle the dance floor in a promenade before beginning. It gave him an opportunity to search the crowd for familiar faces, the people who supported him and made dancing possible. Like Kazama, who was waving an uchiwa like crazy. He was even more touched by the fact that Ohno had shown up. Even though it must have been hard for him to know he couldn't dance tonight, he had come to watch. Aiba blew him a kiss as they passed by.

_FUNKY CHERRY! DISCO STAR! FUNKY CHERRY! DISCO STAR! FUNKY CHERRY! DISCO STAR!_

Three weeks ago he'd chosen their music without even knowing what the lyrics really meant. He recognized 'dance' and 'romance', but Sho had been the one to explain what the lyrics were saying. It hadn't mattered then, but it felt so perfect now. Sho wasn't going to be his partner after tonight. He had plenty of other interests and hobbies he would likely go back to, and Ohno would be on his feet again soon.

It was the last dance.

One more time. Together.

They reached their starting position as the music began to play. It was slow and sweet at first, something to help them ease into the routine. When Sho pressed close against him and dipped him low, it was as if it was only the two of them again. Knowing people were watching only made him feel a little fired up. Maybe it would have been better to have kept this sexy side of Sakurai Sho all to himself.

"I need you, beside me..." Sho sang along quietly against his ear before dipping him again.

That was the moment for Aiba. The moment he knew he'd never forget this evening.

As the song picked up in tempo, Aiba felt his energy start to guide him. It wasn't about getting every single move right anymore. It was about expressing how good he felt about himself tonight, how good he felt about Sho being at his side. He knew the routine in and out, now he could dance the hell out of it!

He could hear the shouts of _DISCO STAR!_ as he placed his hands behind his head and ran in place, finishing off with a strong thrust at his partner.

Aiba joined Sho in a Hokkaido Mountain Bop, trying not to laugh at how out of sync they were. It wasn't important! A quick body roll and they were back on track and into their grapevine and hip bump.

And it was _fun_. Aiba couldn't have asked for anything more.

The climax of the song soon approached, sending them to opposite sides of the floor.

Seeing Sho across the room, arms open, it gave Aiba all the confidence he needed to end their performance on a high. Sho was going to catch him. Sho was going to be there for him no matter what happened.

Aiba ran, leapt into the air, and felt Sho's capable hands at his hips exactly as intended. He was flying!

And then he was seated on Sho's shoulder, gripping him tightly and looking out into the crowd.

"Congrats, Disco Star," Sho said as he placed him gently back on the ground. Aiba threw his arms around him, continuing to hold onto him even as they made their way off the dance floor.

It hit him in a sudden wave. It was over. They'd done it! Exactly as they'd wanted.

"Thank you," he told Sho. Aiba couldn't wait. He planted several kisses across the man's cheek and jaw, finally leaving one final lingering one against Sho's lips.

"Thank you, Sho-chan. For everything."

 

 

 

**GOOD TIMES**

 

Aiba wasn't even upset! How could he be when his best friends were hugging each other so tightly in joy over first place? It was probably a trick of the light, but Aiba thought he might have seen the glimmer of a tear in Nino's eye.

"They did it," Aiba choked out, taking a deep breath to get ahold of himself, "And we did it too. Fan favorite, Sho-chan! You and me."

Sho whooped in victory, then held up the small disco ball trophy in triumph. It would have been nice to place, but for only three weeks dancing together? Aiba thought there accomplishment was truly amazing. It made him feel good about himself. The judges and the audience had liked their routine enough to name them the favorite act of the night!

"You're missing everything," Ohno scolded them, pushing at Aiba's butt with the end of his crutch. "Everybody's doing the bus stop!"

Aiba laughed at Sho's obvious confusion.

"It's a dance," Jun explained, holding out a hand for Sho to take. "I'll teach you. Let's go."

Aiba waved as Sho was dragged away somewhat reluctantly, still clutching the trophy in his other hand. He promised Ohno he'd join them shortly. There was one thing he needed to do first.

"You're the greatest dancer to have ever lived, aside from MJ, and I promise to buy you one game of your choosing at any price."

"Yes I am," Nino agreed. He didn't look as smug as Aiba had imagined he would. If anything, he looked peaceful.

Aiba looped his arm through his friend's and began to pull him toward the others.

"But next time," he warned, wiggling his eyebrows, "I'm coming for your title, so you better watch out!"

Nino scoffed at the very idea of it, then replied, "I'd love to see you try! You wouldn't even be here if it weren't for J recognizing my greatness."

"Not fair," Aiba whined.

Not fair, but true.

 

 

 

**DISCO INFERNO**

 

  
"It's Nino, right?" Jun asked, but didn't wait for a response before he continued, "You have a great face."

_Aiba wasn't aware that Nino could turn so red. His own jaw dropped slightly at what was happening in front of him. Though he could agree his friend was attractive, he'd never heard someone declare it so boldly._

_Nino took a moment to compose himself, trying to look unaffected as he responded with, "I know."_

_"I also know you're a musician. Ever try dancing? I was hoping we could pair up," Jun explained, pulling a piece of paper from his jacket and holding it out for Nino to take._

_Nino glanced at it, but when he didn't seem to reach for it, Aiba bowed his head and took it from Jun himself. He laughed at how intense the flyer was with its bright pink and orange lettering on a dark background. There was the name of a dance studio written on top, and at first Aiba thought that Nino was being propositioned to learn to hip-hop or something. As he read further, however, Aiba could see that the class being advertised was very, very different._

_"Disco!?" Aiba couldn't contain himself, looking up at Jun in surprise._

_"Yeah, Disco. It's sexier than it sounds, at least when I'm dancing," Jun answered._

_"Why should I dance with you? I don't dance with anyone. I don't particularly like to move if I can help it," Nino said._

_Jun looked Nino up and down, then turned to Aiba as if seeking confirmation. Aiba gave a small nod. Nino wasn't the type to put a lot of effort into anything physical. If he had to do something, he was usually the best at it, but it was hard to convince him much was worth his time when there were games to be played at home. He highly doubted his friend would change his lifestyle for a dance class, even if Jun had a mysterious allure._

_"I'll treat you to dinner. Every Tuesday and Thursday, right after practice," Jun offered._

_Aiba gasped. Well. That changed things._

_"I'll think about it," Nino promised, extracting the flyer from Aiba's hands and shoving it under his computer's keyboard._

_"See you Tuesday," Jun responded with a grin._

 


End file.
